**GIVEAWAY** Author Interview-Susan Klaus-Secretariat Reborn

Today I'm pleased to offer you an intimate conversation with author Susan Klaus talking about her brand new release Secretariat Reborn and then offer you a chance to win an autographed copy of her novel thanks to her publisher Oceanview. Susan is an animal lover and  when I asked her when it began she replied––"....When did this love affair start? Probably with my first breath."
See the rest of her answer and much more below. 

 

• ISBN-13: 9781608090945
• Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
• Publication date: 10/18/2013
• Pages: 280

Susan's Publisher Oceanview is sponsoring
this GIVEAWAY of one US Only
author signed copy of the novel
Thanks Susan and Oceanview
To enter use the Rafflecopter form below
Good Luck!!

Overview:
Christian Roberts, lanky, blond, and twenty-five-years-old, rents out small sailboats on Sarasota Bay. His peaceful life is shattered when he accepts a thoroughbred colt from his estranged, dying father, an Ocala horse trainer. 

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Susan Hi, welcome to The Reading Frenzy.
Tell us about your new novel Secretariat Reborn.

My novel answers the question: What if Secretariat was cloned? Horses have been cloned for 7 years, but Thoroughbred clones can’t be registered or legally raced. My protagonist, Christian knowing little about racehorses, receives a clone of Secretariat from his dying father and promises to race the colt. He’s plunged into the underworld of racing with its crooked trainers, mobsters, and a wealthy sheik while dealing with psychotic ex-girlfriend. Christian risks prison and puts his life in jeopardy while questioning if he should give the world another Secretariat. The story starts off gently, like a rollercoaster ride.  

An interesting fact I found on your website is that you were an extra on the movie Ocean’s Eleven and you based your debut fantasy novel Flight of The Golden Harpy on your experience there.
Can you expand on that for us?

Short of childbirth, that experience was most memorable. Staring at Brad Pitt all day certainly didn’t hurt. In person, he’s far better looking than on the screen and a sweet guy. The inspiration for my harpy novel came when Pitt walked on the set, and the extras mobbed him.  I felt sorry for him. He’s so gorgeous that he’s pursued wherever he goes. I came home and wrote about the harpies, willowy, beautiful, half-mortal, half-bird creatures that are hunted and killed like wild game trophies. Since then, my fantasy and thriller protagonists resemble a young Brad Pitt.  

Susan your animal experience is extensive and deals with various animal species.
Where did your love of animals come from and when did it start?

I inherited a love of animals from my father, so I always had cats, dogs, birds, rabbits and even a gator, growing up.  As soon as I could drive, I bought my first horse. When did this love affair start? Probably with my first breath.

One of the things you did was breed show cats. I personally don’t know much about showing cats.
How different is showing cats from showing dogs?

Well, you don’t put a leash on a cat and walk it around a ring, but the categories are similar. Cats are judged according to best of breed, best kitten, and finally best in show. The rings consist of a half circle of cages with the judge and table in the center. The judge removes each cat, sets it on the table, and examines it while the audience looks on. It’s fun, and most show cats are such pros they enjoy the attention, too.

You self-published your first two novels.
How on a whole was that experience for you?
If an aspiring author would ask you to recommend it, would you?

I wouldn’t recommend my self-publishing path to any author. What’s the saying; you get experience after you need it.  I did everything backwards. First I didn’t hire a professional editor for the book, didn’t try to find an agent, and then I sent my query and manuscript to only one publisher, Tor because I felt they were the best. After my book was rejected, I turned to self-publishing. I recommend that any author who wants a first rate manuscript, spend the money, hire the editor, and then enter the manuscript in writing contests. A win attracts interest. If after contacting every agent and publisher that handles your genre, self publish, but don’t expect bookstores to carry your novel, and reviewers will generally ignore it. My self-published novel had decent sales, great reviews in the local press, and N.Y. Times bestseller, Piers Anthony read and suggested it to his fans. With that encouragement, I started over. I rewrote the whole story, had it edited, and entered it in The Fl. Writer’s contest where it won best science fiction. David Hagberg, another bestseller, recommended my book to his agent, and amazingly she sold the novel to Tor/Forge Publishers. How strange is that?

Susan according to the bio section of your website you’re working on a suspense/thriller based on a true story, A Murder in Sarasota.
Can you tell us anything about it yet?

In the seventies, a young man beat his girlfriend to death, and after being sentenced to the electric chair, he escaped the Sarasota County Jail the following day.  The police captured him, and he was sent to prison where he escaped again. To this day, he’s avoided recapture. It’s a true story but also personal. I knew the murderer since my best friend had dated him. When the case went to trial, I was married to the prosecuting attorney. I was friends with the detective handling the case and the judge who sentenced him. Knowing the murderer’s friends, I told the detective where he might hide and that’s how he was found. It was an interesting time and I thought it would make an interesting story. I’m also putting the finishing touches on the sequel to Secretariat Reborn that involves Christian, my sailor protagonist, in the shark fin trade. Shark Fin Soup is the working title.

Susan you co-created The Authors Connection Show a web radio program that can be heard on radioearnetwork.com every Tuesday from 11 am to 12 pm. And what’s great is that you feature any one from self-published to NYT bestsellers like Michael Connelly.
What inspired you to create this?

I learned that writing a book is the fun part, but promoting it requires real work. Knowing this, I founded the Sarasota Authors Connection, a club that focuses on successfully marketing a book and finding an agent and publisher, A few years later, I spoke with a radio director who said he’d like to have a show with guest authors, but couldn’t find them.  I told him I had over 200 authors in my club, so that’s how The Authors Connection Show was created. Currently the show has 18 million listeners in 148 countries. I believe the audience can relate to a struggling self-published author and also enjoys hearing from the bestsellers on their newest books. It’s informative and a nice mix of guests.

 Susan many authors I’ve interviewed have very specific “writing caves”.
Where and when do you write?

My cave is a small office in my house that looks out at my horse pastures, and of course, Brad Pitt photos are tacked near the computer to help create my handsome protagonists. I write in the morning until I burn out in the afternoon and write every day.

Susan thank you for letting us get to know you a bit better. Good luck with the new novel!
Will there be any author events/signing for fans to connect in person with you?

Secretariat Reborn will be available Oct. 1, 2013 and the launch party is Oct. 16, 4 to 7 PM at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron since the squadron is in the story. I’ll also be in Atlanta that month.

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